After two years of restrictions and online schooling, children are going out into nature again and schools together with guides and various associations are organizing thematic excursions of exploration and discovery.
On Wednesday, the Sibiu County Tourism Association in partnership with the Fortified Churches Foundation and Sibiu’s 18th Primary School organized a thematic visit to the fortified church in Cristian. The children of the 1st grade payed attention to fascinating stories and legends about the Saxons, their daily life in the past, traditions and customs, explored the fortification and listened to the organ.
Then, organised in groups, they set off on a fun race to discover and solve the quiz questions prepared by representatives of the Fortified Churches Foundation. For the little ones it was certainly a day to remember!
The event marks the launch of this quiz material for the fortified church in Cristian. “The two years of the pandemic have led to a significant increase in the interest of Romanian tourists in fortified churches and former Saxon settlements. Thus, wanting to meet their needs, we have created these quiz materials that invite the young and the old (why not) to discover these monuments in a different way. At the moment, we have ten quizzes for the churches of Cristian, Movile, Hosman, Cârța, Brădeni, Valea Viilor, Apold, Viscri, Hărman and Curciu. They can be found on site at the churches. Visitors eager to learn interesting information in an interactive way can receive them from the castle keepers of the churches. The quizzes can be completed by families with children as well as organised groups and school classes,” said Ruth Istvan, representative of the Fortified Churches Foundation.
As a novelty, the foundation has recently launched the Experience Fortified Churches app, where users will find information about churches, visiting schedule, events, accommodation possibilities, meals, camps.
“Through today’s event and the weekly hikes organised by our colleagues from the Hiking Years (Anii Drumeției) for students, we want to encourage as much as possible outdoor activities and thematic visits in Sibiu, awareness of the special cultural and natural heritage that surrounds us”, explains Adela Dadu, communication officer of the Sibiu County Tourism Association.
Text: Adela Dadu
Photos: Stefan Jammer
